Chapter 154
-OLIVIA-
Blair took my hand and held it.
Support. That was all. She did not tell me to smile. She just kept me anchored while the court/turned into a stage. She knew that I needed this, especially now.
Roman looked surprised when he saw them.
Eden. His parents. The celebration already arranged around him. They pulled him forward toward a group of reporters before he could cross to the tunnel.
Victor leaned in and whispered something.
Roman’s face went irritated, then blank like he often used when he was obeying.
The questions started.
How did it feel to play like that? What got into him? The crowd absolutely loved him.
“I played tonight especially for someone in the crowd,” he said without a second thought.
My heart skipped a beat. He was talking about me. I couldn’t believe he’d actually said that. My belly actually got butterflies.
Then a reporter laughed. “We saw your girlfriend Eden down here. I’m sure it was for her.”
My heart squeezed tightly again. No. I didn’t like everyone thinking it was for her. She already thought Roman was going to propose. This would make her sure he would.
They kept on coming. “How’s the relationship?”
Roman paused for half a second.
“It’s good.”
I could not breathe. It’s good?
How could he say that so naturally? Especially after everything that has been happening between us. Why was he even still with her?
They kept going. They always kept going.
“Was she your good-luck charm tonight? I think this is the first game she ever attended and look how good you played to impress her.”
Roman’s jaw ticked.
“She was here yes,” he said. “That was enough.”
I felt like someone had just slapped me.
10:24 Sat, Sep 19.
The Mockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife
65 veuch
He was letting them think it was all for her. And maybe it was and he’d just played with my heart because he knew how much he meant to me.
“Don’t ever break up with her,” a man joked. “Port City might need her in the building every night if this is
the result.”
Eden beamed for the cameras like she had scored the points herself.
She put her hand on Roman’s arm. He did not shake it off. He did not look at the seats. He looked at the logo on the microphone and gave them the version of the night his parents had clearly paid for. It hurt. Seeing him shut me out completely once the cameras were on him. He wouldn’t even look my way.
“How long have you two been together now?”
“Long enough,” Roman said.
“Any truth to the rumors this is getting serious?”
The pause was shorter this time.
“We’re good,” he said again. “That’s all I have on that.”
It was more than I could stand.
Port City’s new power couple. His good-luck charm.
I could not keep looking at it.
“I’ll be back,” I told Blair and Ethan.
I did not go to the bathroom.
I walked outside. Hoping that being away would help ease the pain.
I was crying before I made it to the curb.
I pressed my hands to my eyes.
It did not stop the tears.
The tears came harder once I was past the doors, once the roar of the crowd became a muffled sound.
I sat on a low concrete wall near the player lot and moved forward like I could hide his answers from his interview against my knees.
My chest hurt. The kind that made my breath hitch and my nose run and my makeup useless.
I played for someone in the crowd.
Maybe that someone was always supposed to be Eden.
I kept hearing it. I kept seeing Eden’s hand on his arm. I kept seeing his father whisper something and Roman’s face go blank. I kept seeing how happy he made her while his responses broke my heart.
10:24 Sat, Sep 19
The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife
I cried until my throat ached. Until a couple walking past slowed and then decided not to ask.
ul had to wipe my face on the inside of my wrist because I had not brought anything useful.
I didn’t think I’d be crying today. Otherwise, I would have brought tissues.
I did not expect anyone else to be out here.
That’s why I was so shocked when I saw Luca Vescari standing in front of me.
I frowned, tears still obvious. “What are you doing here?”
He had his hands in his pockets like he wasn’t sure if he should say anything but went against his own hesitation either way.
“You look like you just watched something you didn’t like,” he said. “You crying?”
“Answer the question.”
“I was in the building.” He shrugged. “Someone sent me seats. Thought I might find you out here.”
I did not want anyone seeing me like this.
Blair was inside holding an empty space on the seat. Ethan still thought this was a celebration.
And I was on the sidewalk with Luca Vescari, crying over a man who had eaten me in a locker room and then given Eden the spot next to him.
I felt like I was hidden. Like he was ashamed of me.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said.
Luca smiled, not kind, not cruel. Interested. He looked at my face how people looked at something they were not supposed to find beautiful.
“Neither should you, looking like that.” He took his hands out of his pockets and then put them back, as if he had thought about touching my shoulder and decided not to make it worse.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. After the wedding. After the club. I don’t normally do that. Think about someone this often. I don’t sit with a girl’s name in my head. You’re the first one I’ve actually considered having something serious with.”
I stared at him, still crying, still hurting, still wearing the skirt Roman had pulled up in the locked room.
He had to be messing around. He couldn’t possibly be serious.
“This is a terrible time to say that.”
“I know.” He almost laughed. “I still meant it. Come on. You want to stand here and let them finish the interview, or do you want to get out of here and distract yourself?”
He clearly knew this had to do with the interview.
I stared at him.
5
Sat, Sep 19
The Mockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife
I knew that this was his invitation and it probably wasn’t the best idea to accept it. The people around me would freak out. But after what Roman just did, I wasn’t thinking right. I just wanted something to distract me from the pain.
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10:24 Sat, Sep 19
The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife
Dex Morgan
Dex works to elevate each story with clean writing, emotional balance, and thoughtful flow for readers.